Improvement in fastenings for attaching buttons to boots and shoes



A. WISNE-R. I Fastening for Attaching Buttons to Boots and Shoes.

No.197,957 Patented Dec. 11,1877

I TNEE 512' I mven rqq:

@M ALBERT WIENER AT'TY 5 ILPETERS. PNOTOLITHOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON. D. C

iUNirE'nfSTATEs PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT WISNER, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT.

IMPROVEMENT lN FASTENING$ FOR ATTACHING BUTTONS TO' BOO'TS AND SHOES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 197,957, dated December11, 1877; application filed October 18, 1877.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT WISNER, of

Bridgeport, county of Fairfield, and State of Connecticut, have inventednew and useful Improvements in Fastening Devices for Uniting Buttons toShoes; and I do hereby. declare' that the following is a full and exactdescription of the same, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

The object of this invention is to unite by simple means, which can bereadily and economically applied, the ordinary buttons to the shoe, insuch manner that a minimum amount of the metal of the fastening isexposed upon the exterior surface of the shoe, and so also that thefastening may be readily removed, when it is desired to change theposition of the buttons, without defacing or injuring the appearance ofthe shoe itself; and it consists in the employment, in connection withthe ordinary button, of a round pin-pointed staple, which is passedthrough the material and clinched without a plate, in such manner as tocause the legs to lie side by side and each point to turn upward by theopposite leg.

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents a perspective view of a shoe towhich my invention has been applied; Fig. 2, enlarged views of thebuttons, the material of, the shoe, and

l the staples clinched in the material; and Fig.

3, views of the staples in their various forms.

A represents a shoe-quarter of any proper form, and a a the buttonsordinarily employed. a a represent staples, by means of which thebuttons are secured to the shoe. These consist, preferably, of suitablelengths of pin-wire, having pointed ends, which are bent in the usualU-shaped form, as shown. These then, after buttons have been slippedthereon, are united to the fabric or material of the shoe by passingtheir pointed ends through the same, and clinchingthem upon the innerside in such manner as to cause the legs to lie side by side upon theinner side of the fabric, and each point to turn upward by the side ofthe opposite leg, as shown in Figs 1 and 2.. V

The plate usually employed in connection with the staple is dispensedwith.

Certain defects incidental to the use of the ordinary fastenings areremedied in my invention.

In one class of these an extended portion .of metal is exposed upon theexterior of the worn, act to hurt the foot and soil the stocking.

By my invention these defects are remedied. The excess ofexteriormetalis dispensed with. The material of the shoe is perforatedby very small openings, so that no injury or defacem ent results if thefastening is removed. The interior plate also is dispensed with, so thatthe foot of .the wearer is not injured, nor is the stocking soiled.

I am aware that a metallic staple has been used as a fastening devicefor doors, lids, and similar articles but when thus used no special carehas been taken to cause the clinched ends to assume any particularposition. If thus used to attach buttons to shoes the invention will beof little or no value.

I am aware that staples have been employed to unite two-eyed buttons toclothing by bending the legs of the staple in opposite directions, andcausing them to lie exposed upon the inner side of the fabric. Thismethod of fastening is not applicable to shoes, because, first, thebutton would not answer the desired purpose and, second, because theparts of the staple not being clinched into the material would injurethe foot of the wearer.

I am aware, also, that staples havebeen employed to secure the ordinaryshoe-button in place; but only in connection with aplate, the employmentof which renders the Whole valueless.

I am aware, also, that a pronged plate has been employed to secure theordinary buttons in place, the prongs of which were clinched into thematerial; but the employment of this I the'material and clinched withouta plate, the plate upon the exterior surface impairs the legs lying sideby side, and each point turnvalue of the whole. ing upward by theopposite leg into the body None of these combinations are claimed as ofthe material, substantially as described.- my invention; but, Thisspecification signed and witnessed this Having thus fully described myinvention, 3d day of October, 1877. I what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by ALBERT WISNER.

Letters Patent, is- Witnesses: A boot or shoe having its buttons securedMAMIE E. STALLINGS,

by round pin-pointed staples passed through CORNELIUS COX.

